FOX31 Denver

June snow dumps in parts of the high country

CONIFER, Colo. (KDVR) — Some parts of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains were looking more like a winter wonderland after snow fell at higher elevations the past couple of days.

Some people in the high country reported up to 9 inches falling in some places.

“I was a little surprised. They said we were only supposed to get less than an inch last night and we woke up to five or six,” Conifer resident Becky Hageman said. “So, I was just like I’m not going to the grocery store this morning. I’m going to make a fire, and we started work a little bit later.”

The wintry scene so close to summer was beautiful, but it’s not so rare.

“At the end of spring, it’s not all that uncommon to see that snow level down to 8,000 or 9,000 feet in some of those foothill areas, and as you get up into those higher elevations, we can see snow towards the end of May and beginning of June,” Pinpoint Weather Meteorologist Jessica Lebel said.

At the Ta Tonka Flower Farms in Conifer, snow-covered blooming perennials – hardy plants grown on site – were designed to survive cold spells like this one in June.

Owner Patty Dierksheide said she’s experienced snowfalls in June before. But this one was a little different.

“Unexpected, even for us as greenhouse growers and flower growers, we were a little surprised at the amount. But we’ll make it through — it’s already melting,” Dierksheide said.

By late afternoon Wednesday, much of the snow had melted, leaving many thankful for the moisture it brought.